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User blog:Moorwhelp/So, you want to be a bishop?
You have observed the Council of Bishops for some time and have decided you want to be a part. Perhaps you have already been elected prior and have served for some time, or maybe you are a new arrival looking to find your way into the Church of the Holy Light role-play. You see the bishops of the church all gathering to say High Liturgy, counsel the faithful, and make decision that will prove to be important to the whole of the Grand Alliance... and you cannot help but ask yourself, what if that were me? To be a bishop is to be a guiding and gathering force for a wider community. This requires serious out-of-character patience, innovation, skills, and, above all, passion. But the road to the Light is arduous. There is much to discern, much to do, and much to learn. Sometimes, the path can be overwhelming and even frustrating. But all of us have been down that gauntlet of trials, and though the journey is different for everyone, there are many considerations to make and facts to know which are universally useful. Firstly, together we will set out on an out-of-character discernment process. This is meant to help you determine if this is everything you had in mind or perhaps that you should look at other equally important positions in the church. We will then talk a little bit about the central parts of being a bishop from an out-of-character perspective. Afterward, we will begin to set some very basic universal guidelines for taking the first steps on your holy journey. =Common Misconceptions= Some excellent priests and paladins who would generally make excellent bishops do not have bishop in their future because their players lack the motivation (or sometimes, the free schedule) to do what it is a bishop must do. But even more often, aspiring prelates will find that the task of a bishop isn’t what they had in mind. Here is a shortlist of common misconceptions. 1. Bishops are promoted as a reward for good behavior and good work. No work, more say-so. To be a bishop is not primarily a reward, but rather a set task. Many good players will not become bishops, not because they have not done enough good, but because they are doing the most good they can where they are. 2. Bishops are elected primarily to represent their guilds. To be a bishop is to have a sort of second guild, and your bishop character will be expected to have an allegiance to the Light above all. That being said, bishop work does not mean that you leave your guild’s interests behind; it merely means that bishop work is not predicated on representing your guild to the Church. 3. Bishops get to boss everyone around and expect everyone to listen to them. Like in every leadership position ever, especially in volunteer organizations, respect and trust are the watchwords and object of a successful bishop. One cannot give dictates and expect everyone to listen, even if that dictate is one’s right. It is important to understand that while the bishop plays the role of the innovator and umpire in the holy community, he is not any more important than any other part of the church. 4. Bishop work is primarily meetings, which are all optional. This assumption is common and dangerous on two fronts. Firstly, meetings are not the object of any successful group, and therefore, if a bishop does nothing outside of attending these meetings, she is not a successful bishop. On the obverse, meetings, though not the object, are essential to uniting the common effort. 5. Bishop work is all politics. Though role-play on Moon Guard is almost always predicated on political themes and organizations, being a bishop is not primarily political work. First and foremost, the bishop is a religious leader - a paragon of the divine, a bridge between the Light and mankind. Politics, however essential to acquire the greatest possible good, must always be secondary to this primary goal. Misconceptions, Continued 6. I can do what I want when I become a bishop and not face any consequences. On the contrary, bishops are put on a tighter leash than normal believers. Bishops are exemplars for goodness and order, and therefore they must be held to the highest standards of behavior and right action. The goal of the holy community is to build a society in the most serious sense of the word, and that requires rules that everyone is accountable to. 7. I can become a bishop in x amount of time. There is no timeframe for which a person can become a bishop, and anyone that tells you otherwise has engaged in an exercise in futility. The fact of the matter is, every bishop was made so under a different circumstance, with different challenges. Everyone’s path is different. There are some variables to the length of time, such as in-character age, experience in the community, needful positions, previous leadership, special skills, and many other variables that can change the process for you. Some of our best bishops worked in the community for years before they got their hat, and others had a more expedient path. 8. Because I know the canon lore on the Light, I know everything I need to know. or Because I know the server canon on the Light, I know everything I need to know. You must be willing to follow the lore’s every word and be willinging to accept and contribute to the group’s canon, too. The holy community on Moon Guard employs all of the lore of the Church of the Holy Light, but we are left with significant blanks to fill in. You must come to terms that the Church cannot be role-played as merely an appendage of lore and that it has to come to life through player contribution. In addition, the lore that we do have cannot be dispensed in a wanton fashion that separates from the rich Warcraft universe. 9. If I become a bishop, I will have the admiration, devotion, trust, and love of my peers. Being a bishop can be a somewhat thankless task. Not only will you not have the respect and admiration of everyone, but some people will dislike your character and (unreasonably) maybe even you simply because of your position. Your peers, guild mates, fellow role-players, and even your brother and sister bishops will not automatically love you because of a title. Being a bishop is not 100% stress-free 100% of the time, and you have to earn, like everyone, the friendship of your peers. 10. Being a bishop will give me an insider’s peek at the latest gossip. On the contrary, strict disclosure and discretion is practiced, and a notorious gossip will have a bad time trying to jump that hurdle of trust to have a shot at a hat. If you ever disclose, out of anger or boredom or immaturity or anything else, gossip from bishop chats or about the holy community in general, you will, at very least, lose the trust of your peers(the central object of your position), but more likely, they will choose to remove you. If your desire to become a bishop is predicated on any of these things, consider the possibility that bishop work may not be for you. The Task of a Bishop Bishops are, in two words, a gathering force. Bishops are tasked to bring people together to the common goal of operating as a society. All of the functions of a bishop, whether they are creative, managerial, social, or otherwise, are predicated on the simple role of bringing players together. It sounds easy, doesn’t it? In reality, the work of gathering people together is the challenge, and that can come with some pressure. Some will struggle to engage guilds of a region on their own level. Some will put many hours into Congregations, such as the Congregation of the Silver Hand. But there is a common denominator, and that is working closely and magnanimously with a lot of people from diverse backgrounds, preferences, and experiences. If you or your character are not the sort to enjoy people work due to pusillanimity or brash behavior, bishop work is not for you. But how can a bishop become a gathering force? One of the most thought of ways is to be a leader or officer of a guild, though this is not necessary. Most bishops will engage with the community’s guilds and individuals on a regional or theme-specific basis, such as in a diocese or a congregation. In this capacity, they will use people skills to solve problems and bring people together to do fun and innovative role-play within the holy theme. It all comes down to building trust wherever you are. In addition, Bishops are the innovators and the moderators. They do the managerial and administrative work so that others don’t have to. This doesn’t mean all of the “fun” aspects are kept to the higher ups; rather, it means that it falls to the bishops to do their part in making fun, interactive stories, organizations, and events for the community. If you take nothing from this explanation of what a bishop does, take these words: Gather. Innovate. Build. Engage. Trust. =So, you still want to be a bishop?= If after reading all of that and thinking on it seriously, you truly want to be a part of something like this, first off, you’re crazy. Second off, congratulations! But you have a journey ahead of you. A consideration you will want to make as you are embarking upon your path is the guild you are in. Naturally, a holy guild, a guild with a holy sect, or at least a guild that is peripherally involved in the holy community might be considered to be preferable. You will be surrounded by people involved in the community, your guild will aid you in becoming immersed in the role-play, and you will gain a good reputation from doing the things your guild normally does. The less your guild is involved with holy community, the more initiative you will have to take with getting involved on your own. On the other hand, that might help your guild become more immersed with the holy community! It is very much a trade off and dependent on one’s circumstances and preferences, but it is an important consideration nonetheless. Education The first thing you want to do is have a character that is an ordained cleric. There are two ways that you can do that. * You can make a character whose backstory includes ordination, or… * You can make a novice character and start from the bottom. Here, the author suggests heavily the latter. Starting a character with a backstory of ordination may be tempting, but starting from the bottom gives you an opportunity to learn things you will need to know in the long run. In addition, going through the ordination processes with your bishop builds a bond and, since the seminary for ordination is one of the most well-attended events, gives an opportunity to connect with new friends and allies in-character. The next thing you will want to do is figure out who your local bishop is and connect with him or her. See Additional Reading at the bottom to figure out who your local bishop is. Write your local bishop a message or a piece of mail in game (don’t worry, we don’t bite!). If you cannot find out who your local bishop is, send a piece of mail in-game to Moorwhelp. The next step you will find useful is to connect with the Prefect for the Congregation for Education, who is currently Qienna. This person will help you connect with lectures about the Church of the Holy Light canon lore and works of fan-fiction that are important to our role-play. As of 11/25/2015, the lectures are on Fridays at 9PM server time in Northshire Abbey. You will need to have an excellent knowledge of Church of the Holy Light lore, Warcraft history, and a functional working knowledge in the Codex of Rites, the Codex of Scripture, and other works of player philosophy that will be important to your roleplay. Materials for study outside of lectures (which can in some circumstances be substitutive) are all in Additional Reading. Ordination and Practice Once you have gained sufficient knowledge, contact the Prefect for Education and your local bishop. There may be a cumulative exam, depending on the preferences of your bishop. If you pass satisfactorily, you will be called to orders and a date for your ordination will be set up! Congratulations, this is a major milestone! Of course, if you elected to opt-out of the in-character education experience, much of this time will be spent proving yourself, networking, learning, and all-in-all doing the same thing in a more roundabout way. That is why the author recommends going through this process regardless of your character’s background. If you choose not to, that is all right; just get in contact with your local bishop, who will know best how to proceed. :) Once you are ordained, you should have a good idea about the functions of your office; fulfill them. Do your liturgies, get better and better at your sermons, heal the sick, absolve the sins of believers, serve the Church well, and most importantly, take initiative. Get involved with a variety of things and narrow down your interests and skills. The opportunity will often be made available to you to go to a governing meeting of this or that synod, this or that congregation, or even the whole consistory at the Council of Bishops. Take it, and be sure to poke your head in and see how things are done. Befriend folks after the meetings. Have a good time. Nomination to Prior The next hurdle you will have to scale is your elevation to the rank of Prior. To be a Prior is often thought of being a little bishop, or being on a stepping stone to bishop, but it is much more than that. As a prior, you have nearly equal ability to a bishop; on most matters, you can vote. You can serve on a congregation. You can even lead a Congregation, if you are appointed to do so. Many people will always be priors as they have no need to proceed. There are a few modes of electing priors. One (the prefered method) is to get nominated at a diocesan or provincial synod, a meeting between all notable believers in a region that happens about every month. A secret ballot is taken up, and if your name is on at least one, you are nominated. Those nominations are collected and sent off to your provincial bishop, who will ideally (with the help of the Archbishop) set up a random and impartial committee to discuss all nominations, including yours. Most likely (unless you are clearly not ready), the committee will have a hearing with you present and your options will be discussed. You should have always thought about what diocese and congregations you want to serve and be willing to account for what you have to offer. Be present, flexible, specific, and perpetually willing to improve yourself and improve your reputation, and you have good chance! Election to Bishop The next step is perhaps the longest and most uncertain: your leap to bishop. The preferred mode of election is much the same, except you will usually be nominated at a provincial synod. The criteria that the committee will use for discernment, though not set in stone, is rigorous; one will not only have to have a near flawless track record trust-wise and excellent, quality contributions; but one will have to have more to give to the Church and to the project which, in general, only a bishop can give. In other words, you have to be able to prove that you’ll play the part, have skills that are needful, and ideas that are fresh and helpful. There is no set path for this, and you will have to blaze your own way through your congregations, dioceses, vicariates, and whatever other means you will use to distinguish yourself. By now, the path will be more clear, and you will know what you are interested in. The idea is to pursue that to your fullest capacity and build trust with your fellow players… and most importantly, HAVE FUN! =Final Notes= Needless to say, there is no well-trodden path to walk; each one that takes this journey will do so in a unique way... but there are around a dozen dioceses, nine congregations, four vicariates, countless guilds, amazing ideas yet to be thought of, and a lot of helpful people by now surrounding you. The path will not be walked for you, and indeed, we cannot even tell you where to go; but we can and will guide you and help you develop your own interest and discover what you have to offer. Additional Reading http://moon-guard.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Seminary_Library http://moon-guard.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Bishops http://moon-guard.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Priors http://moon-guard.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Dioceses http://moon-guard.wikia.com/wiki/Congregation http://moon-guard.wikia.com/wiki/Council_of_Bishops http://moon-guard.wikia.com/wiki/Ecclesiastical_province Category:Blog posts